Chad Ochocinco, (mostly) uncensored

Conference calls are often routine affairs, but not in the case of Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. No sense in doing much editing on this one. Particularly interesting were Ochocinco’s observations on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and his thoughts about how catching passes ought to be a refined skill by the time a receiver enters the NFL as a rookie.

Q: Hello, Chad, how are you doing?

Ochcinco: OK, hello. Hola. Como esta?

Q: Bien, y usted?

Ochocinco: Cool, cool, cool.

Q: Any news to report from the Ocho Cinco News Network?

Ochocinco: Oh, man, I’m just coming to give the Black Hole the best show they’ve ever seen. I’m not sure if they’ve really had much to look forward to this year but, man, we’re coming to town. It will for damned sure be a circus.

Ochocinco: It’s going to be fun. It was fun the last time I went against him, it’s going to be fun this time I go against him. I can’t wait.

Q: Did you play against his team when you were at Oregon State?

Ochocinco: I can’t remember. All I remember is playing against him when we played Oakland the last time he was here, when Fabian was on the other side. That was fun. I enjoyed it.

Q: That was the last time a team went at Asomugha. How much do you keep tabs on Asomugha’s exploits?

Ochocinco: Not at all, not at all. I never have. Everyone says he’s the best defensive back in the NFL, so I just go along and I agree with everybody else and then I will permit to go out there Sunday and have my fun, like I usually do every week. So, it’s no different. He’s an awesome, awesome defensive back. I watch him on film. I’ve dissected every single technique that he does. Every single one. So, he’s really awesome and he’s one of the few cornerbacks, where any defensive coordinator, I don’t care what team he played on, he makes a defense that much easier when you can leave somebody like that on an island by yourself and you can actually lock down one side.

Ochocinco: He doesn’t. I tried to frustrate him the last time he was here, and he doesn’t say much. So, I don’t know. But he is the best. I’m not going to sit here and play around about it. I’ve watched him on film. I actually got cut-ups on him. When I saw the schedule, I get the cut-ups on who I think I need to study. So, once I saw the schedule for the 2009 season, him and Champ were the first ones, the only two, where I said, ‘Let me see what they did last year and see who they went against that was of quality’ and just get a jump on them. I’ve studied him this year, and it’s still the same: he’s one of the best.

Q: How much more fun does it make it when you guys are winning?

Ochocinco: It makes it a lot better. It makes it a lot better. Even though it’s fun to be winning, but my fun has to be, quote, put to a minimum because I get out of control. So, coach Lewis kind of got me in a little bind right now about doing some of the things that I do. So, there’s no care packages going out.

Q: Why did you feel so confident that the Bengals were going to go 12-4?

Ochocinco: Because I just know. I don’t know why people always continue to … If you ever follow me, anytime I say I’ve said anything regarding football, which is all I know, I’ve never been wrong. Whether I’m guaranteeing a win, whether I’m talking about beating a defensive back that following Sunday, I’ve never been wrong. So, I don’t know why people, when I say something outlandish like, ‘I think we’re going to go 12-4,’ I can see it. I’m the one here working. I’m the one that’s training with this team. I see the team every day. The outsiders base their information on what we did last year. Last year means nothing. It means nothing, and that’s why they laugh when I say 12-4 before the season even started. I saw this coming. I saw it coming.

Q: What was it that you saw of this turnaround coming?

Ochocinco: Man, the offense itself, everything. The offense, the defense. Really, the defense, they’re saving us. I mean, it’s not that we’re doing bad but as an offense, we’re not that ’05 (team) where we were putting up 30 points just for no god damn reason. That’s how we were. We were just scoring just to be scoring, for no reason at all. But we’re playing good football. We’re not playing great football as an offense. But we’re playing good football, we’re winning games, we’re making enough plays to win at the end.

Q: Were you ready to come in as a rookie and play a lot?

Ochocinco: Uhh. Yeah, I think so because after that rookie year, once I got to that second year, it was a wrap. I took off from there. There was no looking back.

Ochocinco: My second year I had a big drop that really kind of messed me up. I remember Jon Kitna was my quarterback. I dropped a ball that really caused us to lose. That was ’02? I never forget that. That was the turnaround to my career right there. I remember Kitna saying there’s two things that could happen. Either this play right here is going to make you and ruin your career or you’re going to build off of it and shoot for the stars from this point.

Q: Can you teach sure hands as receiver?

Ochocinco: It’s natural man. It’s natural. You have some people who are just natural pass catchers and everything is smooth. Then you see some receivers and they sort of fight with the ball, it’s a struggle. Or you have some who always catch with their chest. I’m just natural. I lovethe ball. If you ever watch me play, I make love to the ball when it comes in.

Q: That’s you but how about a receiver that’s not as natural catching the ball?

Ochocinco: Yes, you have to work on it. You can’t be in the NFL and try to work on it now because it’s too late . . . I’m not trying to be funny guys. Come on now, seriously. When you get to this point this is not the point where you need to be coached. This is the point where you need to get better at your craft but you should already come in with a foundation already set. You should be ready to play. You can’t come into the NFL as a receiver, be in the NFL and then they have to teach you howto play receiver. Because you’re missing the boat, you’re going to miss the ship if you don’t know how to play receiver before you get here. You’re going to miss the ship already.

Q: How big of a boost has Benson been?

Ochocinco: Oh man, Ced is awesome man. Ced is awesome. There’s nothing else I can say. He’s playing awesome. He’s injured now but that will be gone and he’ll be back this week.

Q: What has been key to your turnaround?

Ochocinco: I don’t know man, I don’t know. Dude, watching the Raiders on (expletive) defense that front line is awesome, the corners are awesome. I can’t for the life of me understand how they are not winning. I don’t get it. I don’t get it. Because what I see on film, the record does not show. Because they look a lot better than their record shows so I’m not understanding what’s going on.

Q: Were you a Raiders fan in LA?

Ochocinco: No man. I’ve always been a Miami Dolphins fan since I was a baby. Nothing’s changed. I’m from Miami that’s all I know man.

Q: Thoughts on Russell?

Ochocinco: Man JaMarcus is extremely good. You have to remember a quarterback can only be as good as his supporting cast. Case closed. Always. It will always be that way. Always. You put a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning, you take them out of their supporting casts, you take them out of the elements they’re in now, and you put them in JaMarcus’ situation do you think it would be that much better. I’m just asking. Realistically.

Q: Not when you have a different offensive coordinator every year, rookie receivers, I guess probably not.

Ochocinco: Thank you. Thank you. JaMarcus is a great quarterback but he can only be as good as his supporting cast. People have to remember that.

Thank you guys. Hello? Somebody tell Nnamdi. Don’t forget to relay this message. The message is, I love you but you’ve got to kiss the baby. All right guys. Tell Nnamdi I say hello to him. I haven’t talked to him for a long time so just gives him a heads up for me. All right. Thanks guys.

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer

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I can’t blame Al for the 3 & outs, but I sure as hell can blame him for not calling Ron Wolf to come in and right the ship.

4evaRaider

whatever the players get paid 2 make plays.they been making plays all their life or they couldnt have got this far.The only thing Al Davis can do is draft and pay them…but the players gotta make plays.Hence the word “PLAYERS”

new englandraider

who was it that told jlh to let a ball bouce 3 yrds behind him, and then roll another 15. i can see doing that inside the 10, but when you’re standing between 30 and 35 yrd line and u let the ball land behind u. c’mon. i agree al davis is mostly to blame, i really do, but do you think these guys r practicing running backwards on punt returns? coach or no coach anyone knows you got to fun the other way.(4ward). he had room to run on the one he lost or let drop. which ever it was, it was jlh fault. no one else

And he should of got his ass chewed out, but instead he probobaly got a pat on his butt, and was told “Get em’ next time.”

SnB offense defense specialteams

DMAC Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
So did you blame Al when we were successful w/ Chuckie? Sure Al hired CAble, but Cable is a bum. How many times have we been blown out this year? His team is never prepared each Sunday
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I blame Al Davis for losing Gruden on a stupid trade?

Then Davis proceeded to let Gruden go because Gruden had the AUDACITY to ask for the chance to pick his own coaching staff and determine the starting lineup.

Yup! I blame Al Davis 100%

4evaRaider

uhh that would be Al Davis of coures New Englandraider

new englandraider

i bet al would avg more yrd per return than jlh. walker and all. he get us a yrd by falling 4ward. higgins loses yrds on 85% of his returns. anyone know jlh’s punt return avg? cant be any higher than 5 yrs. and thats being modest

new englandraider

dude tony bryant was great. before he hurt his neck. and he came back and played for the saints and was productive. nap harris was also a solid lb. a lot better than kirk. y did we cut nap. we signed him in august and cut him 9 days later

DMAC

Yeah, Al fk’d up when he traded Gruden, but Gruden got the job done when it came down to coaching a team. He didn’t give a damn who Al drafted. They were successful.

But he (Davis) did draft a QB who showed up to the combine overweight?

He did create an environment where said QB could come in overweight to TRAINING CAMP and not get benched, suspended etc…

He did give the QB three playcallers, two headcoaches, no bonnafide receiving talent and a middling offensive line

He did fail to sign QB in time for camp and yet still ended up giving him big money

He also forces the coaches to continue to play the kid as he struggles

Incomplete pass….4th Down…And Davis’ handiwork keeps paying off

Passing Game? Yes, blame Al Davis!

new englandraider

bryant went to high school with a friend of mine. marathon ( florida keys)

jhill

4eva,

You make some good points about the player being “players”.

What’s your thoughts on the coaches being “coaches”? why do we have positions coaches and the likes?

SnB offense defense specialteams

new englandraider Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:33 am
so its the coach who tells jlh to run backwards. i get it. sorry
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I don’t think the coach tells them anything. Why? Because the coach is unqualified!

Why is JLH running backwards? Do you think he wants to run backwards?

Or is it more likely that the lack of attention to detail is probably resulting in defenders getting clean shots at JLH..thus preventing him from running forward.

I ask what is more likely because JLH led the team in TDs and was becoming a semi-frequent visitor to the post game highlight reel.

Return game? Yes, blame Al Davis!

new englandraider

the scientific term 4 a lesbian is…………………. lickalotapuss

SnB offense defense specialteams

new englandraider Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:34 am
and was it schneider who last year told justin miller to field a kick off going out of bounds at the 2 yrd line and promptly step out of bounds. thats right fielded ball at the 2 AND STEPPED OUT OF BOUNDS
======================================================
Players make mistakes….but players make plays when everything is lined up correctly. Miller returned something like 2 kickoffs in 6 games. He also had several more runs….

SnB offense defense specialteams

DMAC Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Your wrong SNB
JLH isn’t the same player this year, beacuase of that hit he took week 1. Plays way too scarry now.
=======================================================
He isn’t the same player because the team around him has deteriorated. No fundamentals …..

new englandraider

yeah i kinda do think he wants to run backwards cuz thats all he does. if you got no blocking, call for a fair catch. im not trying to argue with u SnB, but every return he is running sideways or backwards. id rather have a 4 yrd return or fair catch. not a return of minus 5

SnB offense defense specialteams

4evaRaider Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:38 am
whatever the players get paid 2 make plays.they been making plays all their life or they couldnt have got this far.The only thing Al Davis can do is draft and pay them…but the players gotta make plays.Hence the word “PLAYERS”
======================================================
Why do we have more than our share of lousy players?

Year after year after year?

Because the incompetent owner keeps drafting them and signing them and then giving them substandard coaching!

Poor execution? Its 100% Al Davis!

DMAC

Why is JLH running backwards? Do you think he wants to run backwards? Or is it more likely that the lack of attention to detail is probably resulting in defenders getting clean shots at JLH..thus preventing him from running forward.
===================================================
Sorry, but your very wrong. There was plenty of room for him to run, but instead he not only doesn’t catch the ball, but he let’s it roll forever.

SnB offense defense specialteams

new englandraider Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:39 am
who was it that told jlh to let a ball bouce 3 yrds behind him, and then roll another 15. i can see doing that inside the 10, but when you’re standing between 30 and 35 yrd line and u let the ball land behind u. c’mon. i agree al davis is mostly to blame, i really do, but do you think these guys r practicing running backwards on punt returns? coach or no coach anyone knows you got to fun the other way.(4ward). he had room to run on the one he lost or let drop. which ever it was, it was jlh fault. no one else
——————————————————-
Okay….then stop using him as a return guy! Get someone else in there to return punts.

If the kid is terrible…cut him and sign someone off the street.

MANAGE THE F’N TEAM!

new englandraider

those mistakes should not be made. mental errors. ur right he did return 2 for td’s. there is no excuse for fielding a kickoff while toe tapping to get two feet in bounds at the 2 yrd line. should’ve had the ball @ the 40

new englandraider

dmac pay the fug attention, i said he looked as tho he HAD room to run on the ball he let bounce and roll. he musta figured if i catch it we’ll lose yrds and i’ll get hit. may as well not get hit and lose the yrd anyway

Jhill position coaches are there 2 refine the skills they already have at their respective positions.Also the nfl has 15 year veterns that know how to do things that took them 15 year in a game enviornment 2 learn.So you got a rookie coming in and its just not possible 4 him to know what a 15 year vet knows.Sooo you have a position coach to try and show him what 2 expect.Its like you wanna be a lawyer but in order 2 enter law school you ALREADY have 2 have prior schooling

DMAC

It’s all good.

DMAC

new post

new englandraider

i dont think all our players are that bad actually. no leadership (head coach). but they have no awareness. none. its like they all ingest a bottle of stupid pills b4 kickoff

new englandraider

well guys im out. drs appt. all have a nice day. nice to chat with all of u. its just too bad that all of our chats r negative. thats life as we know it in the nation. OUT

Great read. Of course he is licking his chops. There are 32 teams in the league, and only Oakland tries to play man. Any receiver would love that, and they all do. It’s not complicated. I also love his point about learning to catch the ball once you get to the NFL. I mean, really?! If a dude can’t catch in college and you draft him, you’re an idiot.